Does laser hair removal invalidate a woman’s fast?

Allah Almighty has prescribed for His servants to maintain beauty and adornment in their dress, appearance, and hygiene, for He created them with a love for beauty and the inclination to use all means of beautification. Allah Almighty says, “Say, "Who has forbidden the adornment of Allah which He has produced for His servants and the good [lawful] things of provision?" Say, "They are for those who believe during the worldly life [but] exclusively for them on the Day of Resurrection." Thus, do We detail the verses for a people who know” (Quran, 7:32). Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Verily, Allah is beautiful and loves beauty” (Muslim).

Allah Almighty has permitted women to adorn themselves and to wear what He has forbidden for men, in recognition of their natural inclination toward beauty and their need to beautify themselves for their husbands. Thus, He permitted them to wear gold, silk, and other permissible forms of adornment.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) explained that one of the practices which stems from the natural disposition which Allah Almighty has instilled in people and that the prophets (peace be upon them) observed, is the removal of body hair. Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Five acts are part of natural instinct: circumcision, shaving pubic hair, plucking hair from armpits, shortening the mustache, and clipping the nails” (recorded by Bukhari and Muslim).

Extent to which topical anesthetic creams and laser hair removal affect a woman’s fast

Laser technology is one of the modern methods known for its high level of precision and effectiveness. It is widely used in aesthetic medicine for the removal of body hair. For women, removing hair from the areas specified in the Sunnah, such as the pubic region and underarms, is recommended regardless of the method used, as long as it causes no harm. The procedure may be done at any time except during the state of ihram, when it is prohibited.

It is categorically known in religion that fasting is prescribed by Islamic law as an obligatory act of worship. Allah Almighty says, “The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So, whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful” (Quran, 2:185).  Abu Sa’eed al-Khudary (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whoever fasts a day for the sake of Allah, Allah will distance him from hellfire by a span of seventy years” (recorded by Bukhari).

Fasting means abstaining from anything that would break the fast, including eating; drinking; and sexual intercourse; from true dawn until sunset, with the intention, and while not experiencing menstruation or postnatal bleeding as stated by Imams al-Muwsaly in Al-Ikhtiyar (1:128), Ahmed al-Dardir in Al-Sharh Al-Kabeer (1:509), al-Khatib al-Shirbini in Mughni Al-Muhtaj (2:146), and Ibn Qudama in Al-Sharh Al-Kabeer (7:325).

 Scholars concur that anything that breaks the fast invalidates it. This includes the entry of any substance into the body intentionally, while being mindful of the fast, through an open body orifice in the upper or lower part of the body. They premise their opinion on the report from ‘Ikrima and Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) who said, “Fasting concerns what enters, not what exits” (recorded by al-Bukhari) and on the words of Allah Almighty, “Then complete the fast until the sunset” (Quran, 2:187). See: Al-Kasani’s Bada`i’ Al-Sana`i’ (2:93), Al-Desouki’s explanatory commentary on Al-Sharh Al-Kabeer (1:523), al-Nawawi’s Al-Majmu’ (6:313), and al-Bahuti’s Kashaf Al-Qina’ (2:317).

The prevalent practice of applying anesthetic ointments before laser hair removal to reduce pain does not vitiate fasting because it is applied to the skin and does not reach an internal cavity through a natural orifice, as stated by Imams Ibn Nujaim, the Hanafi scholar, in Al-Bahr Al-Ra`iq (2:293); Ahmed al-Dardir, the Maliki scholar, in Al-Sharh Al-Sagheer (1:715-6); al-Ramli, the Shafi’i scholar, in Nihayat Al-Muhtaj (3:168); and Ibn al-Najjar, the Hanbali scholar, in Ma’unat Ula Al-Nuha Sharh Al-Muntaha (3:397).

The ruling

Undergoing laser hair removal while fasting does not invalidate the fast because, although the procedure involves directing laser beams of a specific wavelength, energy, and dimension onto the area of skin where hair is to be removed, it does not enter a body cavity through a natural orifice, but through the skin. Moreover, the beams of light are non-material, and what vitiates the fast is the entry of tangible substances from outside into the interior of the body through a natural orifice, as stated by scholars. There is no harm in applying topical anesthetic ointments before the procedure as they do not invalidate fasting.

Based on this, laser hair removal does not affect a woman’s fast, and is not considered to be among the things that invalidate fasting, even if anesthetic ointments are applied beforehand. However, it is necessary to observe the proper Islamic guidelines which include ensuring one’s private parts are not exposed to anyone who is not permitted to see them according to Islamic law, avoiding any harm to the woman’s health, and adhering to other relevant medical guidelines.

And Allah Almighty knows best.